(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sporting equipment; more specifically to pitching machines used for batting practice. Those with ordinary skill in the art are coaches of baseball teams.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Batting practice is a necessary activity for both the professional and novice athlete who is involved in the sport of baseball or its several variations such as softball. Conventionally, for a batter to be able to practice another person is required to pitch balls to him or her.
In order to alleviate the necessity of a pitcher, machines have been invented that "throw" a ball to a batter simulating a pitched ball. One such invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. to CROWDEN 4,872,675. CROWDEN shows a baseball pitching machine elevated above the ground on telescoping legs. The variable speed motor housed in the elevated structure is regulated by a remote control rheostat. A ball is fastened to a rope which is threaded through a hollow pole that is slidingly connected to a rotatable shaft above the mechanical housing. The shaft rotates the pole so that the ball revolves in a circular path about the elevated machine.
The end of the rope opposite the end to which the ball is fixed is fastened to a clamp which is slidingly connected to the pole. The length by which the rope extends from the pole is regulated by the position of the clamp. By moving the clamp toward the point of connection between the pole and the shaft, the extended length of the rope is shortened and the radius of the circular path of the ball is decreased.
Canadian Patent to DIELSCHNEIDER No. 712,035 discloses a ball circulating device that may be powered either manually or by a variable speed motor. Like CROWDEN, DIELSCHNEIDER shows the mechanical components of the device elevated above the ground. A vertical shaft projects upward from a rotating mechanism and bends at a 90 degree angle from which a pole extends outwardly away from the vertical shaft. A chain to which a ball is connected is fastened to the distal end of the pole.
In neither CROWDEN nor DIELSCHNEIDER is there a means for inclining the pole at an angle to horizontal.
U.S. Pat. No. to PENNINGTON 3,897,057 shows a manually operated rotatable baseball practice device that has an upwardly projecting shaft to which a 90 degree elbow is attached thereby connecting an extension pole to the shaft. Like the devices disclosed above, a flexible cord is fixed at the distal end of the extension pole with a ball attached to the other end of the cord. Unlike CROWDEN and DIELSCHNEIDER, the extension pole used in PENNINGTON '057 is not fixed horizontally but is instead adjustable so that it can be set at various angles of incline to horizontal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,847, also issued to PENNINGTON for a batting practice device, has a foot responsive clutch drive. PENNINGTON 3 847, however, does not have means for inclining the extension pole from a horizontal position.
U.S. Pat. No. to GRIFFIN 3,588,104 discloses a baseball batting training device similar to those described above but includes a weighting system on an extension boom that can be operated to alter the flight path of the ball as said ball is revolved about the device.
Before this application was filed, the applicant was aware of the additional United States patents:
______________________________________ 3,408,070 GONZALES 3,637,208 ALLRED 3,885,790 PARR. ______________________________________